This invention relates generally to buckets. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing the bucket of a wet/dry vacuum cleaner and a bucket manufactured according to the method.
While the present invention is specifically directed to buckets used in connection with wet/dry vacuum cleaners, it should be appreciated by those of average skill in the art that the method of manufacturing a bucket disclosed therein could also be utilized for manufacturing buckets useful in other environments.
Several types of vacuum cleaners employing buckets are known. The two major varieties of these are the canister-type vacuum cleaner and the wet/dry shop-type vacuum cleaner. Shop-type vacuum cleaners generally employ buckets ranging in size from 5 to 12 gallons. Generally such buckets are now made of a thermoplastic material in order to reduce both the weight and the cost of the bucket and in order to insure that the bucket does not rust. Such buckets are generally made in two parts; an upper casing portion and a lower casing portion which can include a bottom wall. These two casing portions are then secured together by conventional means.
The buckets of wet/dry type vacuum cleaners are usually mounted on casters. To this end, caster housings need to be secured to the bucket lower casing. Usually such caster housings are located radially outwardly of the casing in order to enlarge the footprint of the bucket thereby making the bucket less likely to be tipped over during use. Either a plurality of caster housings are bolted or riveted to the casing of the wet/dry vacuum cleaner or the bucket is placed on a dolly to which the caster housings are secured. Obviously, it is disadvantageous to have so many parts of the bucket which need to be separately produced and then subsequently secured to each other using fasteners. This conventional method of manufacturing buckets drives up the cost of the bucket and hence the cost of the vacuum cleaner.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop a new and improved bucket and a method of manufacturing the bucket which would overcome the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.